Build Setup

GENERAL TIPS FOR DAMAGE DEALERS : 

• • Use Potions on cooldowns. The recommended potion for this build gives you instant resources back and increased recovery. This is very handy for long fights. Be sure to have the ‘’Medicinal Use'' passive unlocked from the Alchemy skill line to increase the duration of these effects. 
  • Always use a Light Attack (or a Heavy Attack if on a Heavy Attack build) after each skill. This doesn't only add extra damage, but it also builds up Ultimate, which means you can use your Ultimate skill more frequently.
  • Always use your buff food before going into content. This adds important stats to your character, which will make you a lot more survivable. 

   BUILD ROTATION : 

  The Arcanist has a fairly easy rotation revolving around a single concept : Beam, beam, beam! In general, use all your Damage Over Time (DOT) skills, build up Crux by using ‘’Cephaliarch's Flail'' three times in a row and then use your Pragmatic Fatecarver for an insane amount of damage. Use a Light Attack after each skill, since Whorl of the Depths only activates by using Light Attacks! Reapply your DOT's when they expire, with Quick Cloak having priority, since it provides you with 6% extra damage + damage reduction due to the  Blackrose daggers on the backbar, followed by Barbed Trap and the rest of your skills. Never use Inner Light, because it's just there to provide you with passive buffs. Use your Ultimate when its available.

   

  Flex options 

• ‘’Structured Entropy'' deals decent damage and provides you with a heal over time, but consider this a flexible skill to swap out. If you want an easier rotation and more passive damage, slot ‘’Camouflaged Hunter'' for 3% extra passive damage. If you need a burst heal, consider slotting ‘’Resolving Vigor'' for a increddible heal or ‘’Evolving Runemend'' for a less strong heal, but it does build up Crux. 

   

  GEAR ALTERNATIVES : 

  Deadly Strikes is essential for this Build to work, since all our damage is channeled or damage over time. The body pieces of this set are extremely cheap on Guild Traders or you can buy them at your Alliance Gate (or Bruma) in Cyrodiil for AP. Consider using a medium set of Order's Wrath (which is craftable) in the meanwhile, but you will notice that Deadly Strikes will have much better results. 

   

  Consider using Pillar of Nirn or Aegis Caller instead of Whorl of the Depths until you get it, with Pillar of Nirn being prefered above Aegis Caller, since Pillar of Nirn procs of ALL types of damage, whereas Aegis Caller only procs of critical Martial Melee damage, which we barely use on this Build. 

   

  In theory, you could use Merciless Charge on the backbar instead of the Blackrose daggers. If you decide to do so, use the Stampede skill instead of Quick Cloak. The Blackrose daggers are still prefered, since it gives us a much easier rotation, which can be used to use your Fatecarver more, but this is also an option. If you don't have access to either arena weapon, use another Whorl Inferno staff on the backbar with a Beserker glyph and the Infused trait.